Two of Hearts
by Paradoxilla
Summary: After Ethan's rota gets changed around, he ends up starting a friendship with someone he never expected. And he certainly doesn't expect what comes next..


**I started writing this forty minutes ago, only the Lord knows how I finished this..**

 **Anyway, if you can't tell this is a Jacob and Ethan fanfic, prompted by speculation by myself and InfinityAndOne (who has many good fics, which I HIGHLY recommend). It won't be terribly long and will focus on Jacob and Ethan's relationship progressing and what twists and turns lie ahead ;D**

 **Thats all for now, thank you!xx**

* * *

Ethan sighed and stared at his new schedule. It had come with a new wave of minor reforms for the small hospital. He was now working on a different rota to his brother. And on the same one as Alicia.

The pair's breakup was painful and awkward. To anyone, it was obvious. Sly comments made by Alicia or Ethan's inability to take charge in the relationship only left a widening gap between the pair. It eventually resulted in a colossal argument that ended their relationship in moments. Despite this, they remain friends, although with an awkward air between them.

Ethan placed his stethoscope around his neck, and walked out of the staff room, scratching side of his neck to avoid looking at Alicia who stared at him as he walked past her. Although they did remain on friendly terms, it was evident they were never going to go back to the same level of comfort as they were before they were in a relationship.

"Here's your case file," Charlie sighed, tossing him a thick file "woman, in her forties, known drug user. Admitted under suspicious circumstances. Warning, her arm's a mess. Have fun!" Ethan smiled at Charlie awkwardly and scanned the cubicles, and saw a woman with wispy hair and a sunken face yelling at Jacob, who could barely contain her.

"Hello, Ms...Crawford," Ethan greeted, reading her file rapidly "what seems to be the problem?" This introduction however seemed to be the worst thing Ethan could do and it instead triggered an angered reaction from Ms. Crawford.

"PROBLEM? THERE IS NO BLOODY PROBLEM," she screeched "THE ONLY PROBLEM IS YOUR PARANOID COLLEAGUES!" Ethan stared at Jacob who returned his gaze with an exasperated look.

"Right...Stella? May I call you that," Ethan asked gently and the frantic woman nodded her approval "may I see your arm?" Stella stiffened visibly, before slowly offering her limb, which was covered by a tattered, pink cardigan. Ethan peeled the clothing back and almost gagged at what he saw, only able to contain himself due to the fact that he had seen much worse before.

Her arm was almost completely black and plastic looking. Veins looked corrupted and seemed to stick out of her arm and it all stemmed from a small hole in her arm. Ethan and Jacob shared a look before Jacob pulled Ethan aside by the forearm.

"Obviously introduced by a heroin needle," Jacob said quietly, looking over Ethan's shoulder to look at Stella cautiously "most likely needs amputation, it's obviously been ignored." Ethan nodded solemnly, before walking to the head of surgery, a thin, domineering woman known as Yvette.

Jacob meanwhile, was speaking to Stella tenderly who was shaking her head repeatedly, denying she needed any medical intervention. Her head shaking only got more frantic as Jacob explained her extremity needed to be removed, eventually dissolving into a state of pitiful sobbing and denial.

Ethan soon returned with Yvette, who wore a grim expression with her thin features. She, along with other surgeons took a sobbing Stella to theatre, while Ethan sighed loudly. Jacob clapped him on the shoulder with a smile and squeezed tenderly in an act of solidarity but Ethan appreciated his soft touch.

* * *

Lunchtime had come with a bought of radiant sun sliding out from behind several fluffy white clouds. Ethan was searching his locker for any sign of his lunch which he was slowly accepting he had left at home. Jacob happened to see this and approached Ethan curiously.

"Are..you ok Doctor Hardy," Jacob asked with a quirked eyebrow and Ethan shot him an exhausted look "obviously not."

"It seems I've forgotten my lunch," Ethan growled, mostly at himself "like an idiot."

"Here, I'll buy you something from the tea lady," Jacob offered and Ethan instantly shook his head.

"Very kind of you to offer, but no, you're ok, thank you," Ethan smiled and Jacob quirked his eyebrow again "trust me, I'm ok."

"Ok, whatever you say Doctor," Jacob hummed and walked away his hands crossed behind his back and Ethan simply rolled his eyes and sat down and started to read a book he had brought with him to kill the time.

A few minutes later, Jacob returned, this time he held a sandwich in his hand, and upon seeing Ethan open his mouth to argue, held up his hand to silence him. "Just eat it," Jacob pleaded "its already bought, might as well enjoy it." Ethan narrowed his eyes jokingly but accepted the food nonetheless and started to eat it. Instantly his stomach felt relief.

"So I heard about you and Alicia," Jacob said and Ethan's expression instantly darkened "and I'm sorry to hear about that."

"Yes, it seems everyone has heard about that," Ethan sighed and Jacob patted him on the back "no difference in you hearing about it."

"Listen mate, don't get too hung up about it," Jacob advised, taking a bite of his own lunch ravenously "women are too much work anyway. They're too emotional." Ethan looked flabbergasted at this.

"Jacob- you can't just- that's sexist," Ethan managed to spit out and Jacob shrugged uncaringly.

"I do swing that way Ethan, but sadly not looking for anyone right now. But I accept the compliment, I am pretty good looking," Jacob said with a wink and stood up. Ethan's eyebrows knit themselves together before what Jacob was saying clicked.

"What- not sexy, _sexist_ ," Ethan explained and Jacob shrugged.

"I prefer what I think you said," Jacob smiled and walked away with a wave and Ethan simply sat back, laughing at his carefree nature. However, his realisation of what Jacob was saying only hit him after Jacob left.

 _"I do swing that way Ethan."_

 _What an odd thing to say._

But shrugging that off, Ethan cleaned up after himself, stood up and walked back out to the hospital mayhem, his stethoscope wrapped around his neck.


End file.
